UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley has been dangerous with his arms and legs early this year. (AP) |
No. 25 UCLA (4-1, 1-1 Pac-12) at Cal (1-4, 0-2 Pac-12)
Kickoff: Saturday, 10 p.m. ET (Pac-12 Network)
Spread: UCLA by 3
Watchability: High. Two evenly matched teams in a game that could simply come down to quarterback play. The Bruins haven't won in Cal since 1998, so we'll know a lot about the Bruins after this game.
Shining stars: UCLA: After garnering some early-season Heisman buzz, UCLA running back Johnathan Franklin stumbled against Oregon State. Colorado then was just what the doctor ordered. He had his fourth 100-yard game of the year -- three all of last year -- and finished with 159 yards of total offense against the Buffaloes. Cal: Youngster Brendan Bigelow may be garnering all the attention, and at 20.6 yards per carry, he deserves it. But RB Isi Sofele remains dangerous, as he proved with his 15-carry, 105-yard game against Arizona State.
Who could steal the show: UCLA: It took a while, but Damien Holmes might have found a home at outside linebacker. Shifting over because of the loss of Jordan Zumwalt to a scooter accident, Holmes had three sacks against the Buffaloes. Cal: Senior DB Josh Hill has been all over the field for the Bears, and they'll need him to patrol the flats against the swing-happy Bruins. Hill leads Cal with 38 tackles, three pass break-ups and a forced fumble.
You going? Ranking the road trip: If you want to get an up-close-and-personal look at a seat that is absolutely on fire, it's worth it. Jeff Tedford needs a win here to cool down a bit, Strawberry Canyon is one of the most beautiful settings in the nation, and it should be a great atmosphere.
Magic number for UCLA: 36. The Bruins have hit the 36-point mark in four of five games this year. Last year, they scored 36 points just once, against Colorado.
Magic number for Cal: 120. The Bears are looking up at 119 schools -- or make that Zach Maynard is -- ranking at the bottom nationally with five sacks allowed per game.
This game comes down to: UCLA's ability to get to the quarterback. Maynard has been harried and flustered, and if the Bruins can harrass him early, they'll come away with a rare win in Berkeley.
Prediction: UCLA 37, Cal 23
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